


Meet Haymitch

by BlackCat46



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Adorable Fluff, Baby in Twelve, Baby!Haymitch, Backstory, First Child, Innocent baby Haymitch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 11:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12770460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackCat46/pseuds/BlackCat46
Summary: A warm summer's day, just after the Reaping, in a small house on the edge of the Seam, a little baby boy makes his way into the world, and he's never one to do anything quietly.





	Meet Haymitch

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I figured that since I wrote about Effie being tiny, I might as well have a peek into a time when Haymitch was innocent, tiny, and not dependent on his booze. And let's face it, the idea of a small, chubby-cheeked, baby Haymitch is way too cute.
> 
> That said, disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games, its characters, or its world. All rights go to Suzanne Collins, and I am not Suzanne. I just like playing around with her characters.

_"I cannot_ wait _to get this baby out," the young woman grumbles to her husband. "I swear, it's the most stubborn child of all time, and that's saying something!"_

_"Give the poor baby a break, it's not the little one's fault that he or she exists," her husband soothes, rubbing his wife's stomach._

_"It's got the Abernathy genes," the young woman grouches._

* * *

The scream of pain nearly deafens everyone on the street, and everyone on the street hopes that Baby Abernathy is born soon, because the screams are too much for most of the people here. They've all been either mining or in school all day, and the screams aren't helping their exhaustion. Inside the Abernathy residence, Colard Abernathy whispers "It's okay, Dahlia, it's okay, just think of our baby. Remember when you told me that you'd found out about your pregnancy? You said you couldn't wait to see the baby. Now you're going to."

"It hurts," she sobs. "It hurts so much. I want it to be over, Colard. It hurts so much. I don't ever want another baby. Ever."

"And we don't have to  _have_ another, darling. This one will be enough for us," he murmurs, stroking his wife's hair as their healer holds the baby's chin up so that it doesn't scrape its face.

"Push," the healer tells Dahlia quietly.

Dahlia pushes, sobbing onto her husband. "This baby had better be worth it," she sobs. "I hope it's okay when it's finally out, because I will be livid if it's not."

Colard kisses his wife's forehead and whispers "It'll be worth it. I promise. He or she is our baby. We'll get to watch our little one grow up. That's going to be worth it for both of us. We'll have our very own little baby."

"Push," the healer instructs, and Dahlia cooperates, pushing with all of her strength.

"I can't do this," she sobs. "I'm not strong enough to get this baby out."

"You're almost there, Mrs Abernathy," the healer promises. "You've nearly got the baby out."

"Oh, really?" she gasps, sobbing. "How much longer until it's out?"

"One more push, and you've got yourself a baby" the healer says.

"Oh, thank the heavens," Dahlia whines. "Colard, if I don't make it, tell our baby how much I love it, okay?"

"All right, darling," Colard whispers, though he knows she'll make it through. She has to. Their baby depends on her. "Hopefully, you'll be able to say so yourself."

"I hope so," Dahlia sobs. "I don't want to go in this much pain, after all."

Colard smirks at her, then kisses the top of her head. "No, you don't, do you? Well, you'd better get prepared, because you're about to see our baby," he whispers.

"Push," the healer tells Dahlia, ready to pick the newborn up. Dahlia pushes with all of her might, and the sound of a baby wailing fills the house. "Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Abernathy. It's a boy."

The tiny baby flails in the healer's hands, screaming his tiny throat raw. Dahlia stares at the tiny boy, amazed by her son. "That explains the kicking," Dahlia whispers, smiling at her son's flailing activity. 

The healer checks the baby over, ignoring his deafening screeching, then ties and cuts the umbilical cord. He wraps the newborn in a soft cloth diaper, and pins it closed. The baby pauses in his screaming to glare at the healer, then resumes his flailing and screeching. The healer wraps the baby boy in a blanket, then lies him on Dahlia's chest. Colard stares at his newborn son, seeing the greyish blue eyes, the olive tone to the newborn's skin, and the black hair that threatens to grow thick and unruly, and he smiles at his son. The baby looks around, confused by his new surroundings, then his eyes drift around the area his mother occupies. The baby opens and closes his mouth, and Colard chuckles. "He's definitely my boy," he murmurs to Dahlia.

"Yes, he is," Dahlia chuckles. "Only your genes could make a baby as stubborn as him, and also has the inclination to follow his stomach instead of his brain."

The baby lets out a loud yell, one dark little eyebrow lifting imperatively at his mother. "He inherited that from you," Colard laughs, gesturing to their newborn's eyebrow. "No way is that learned, that's your trait."

"He's the perfect mix of us both. He's a smarmy little thing, too," Dahlia chuckles. The baby wails, getting her to look at him and frown jokingly. "All right, bossy! Here you go."

The baby whimpers until he's latched onto his mother and he's getting his milk. "All the cheeky sprite wanted was his milk," Colard laughs. 

"I know, it's painfully clear whose son he is," Dahlia chuckles. "He needs a name."

"Haymitch," Colard says immediately. "After your grandfather."

"Are you sure?" Dahlia asks, then looks down at her son. He has a sharp, straight nose that will one day look just like his great-grandfather's, he has a strong jawline under his chubby cheeks that will one day befit the man his parents hope he'll become, he has shining grey eyes that will charm any woman he likes to his side, he has full lips that perfectly compliment his face, and Dahlia sees a more innocent version of the man who saw the Dark Days as a little boy, and went on to live a good life right here in Twelve, the man who helped to raise her. "We don't have to-"

"Yeah, we do," Colard says. "Your grandfather is the reason we're the way we are. We've got to keep that legacy alive with our son, Dahlia. We're naming him Haymitch."

Baby Haymitch looks up at his parents, his eyes unfocused, but glimmering with mischief. 

* * *

Six weeks later, little Haymitch is lying on his father's lap, wriggling around and cooing to himself melodically, as if he's trying to join in with his mother's song as she cleans. "Are you singing too?" Colard asks of his son.

Dahlia turns to smile at her son just as a cheeky grin appears on their son's little face. "Oh, look! Look! He's smiling!" Dahlia squeals proudly. "Look at you, baby! You have such a beautiful smile! Yes you do!"

Haymitch, true to form, smiles more, then looks up at his father. For years to come, Dahlia and Colard both swear this wasn't as intentional as it looks, as Haymitch's smile shrinks to a smirk as he looks at his father, and one grey eye closes and opens in a wink that only lasts a second and a half. The baby looks almost knowing, like he's seven steps ahead already, and Colard chuckles. "There we go, Dahlia. That's you, through and through," he says proudly.

Little Haymitch smiles again, looking every bit the innocent baby boy again. "He's going to be a force to reckon with," Dahlia predicts, smiling at her baby boy. Colard nods, and Haymitch beams. He may not consciously know it, but the little baby knows exactly how true his mother's words are somewhere deep in his soul, and one day, he'll prove her right.

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot get over a cute little baby Haymitch. The idea of him being so tiny and trusting is too much. I'm going to just go and cry about how adorable he is. I think this turned out a little better than my last one, but hey, that's my perspective. If you have any ideas, comments, or constructive criticism, let me know. I might start doing this stuff as a series. 
> 
> Hope you're all well, and please feel free to let me know how you are. 
> 
> Much love and happiness to you all. Until next time. Cat xxx


End file.
